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St. Tammany authorities vow to 'aggressively combat' rise in heroin use

35 arrested in St. Tammany Parish heroin bustAuthorities announced at a press conference on April 14, 2014, that 35 people have been arrested on various heroin possession charges in St. Tammany Parish, the result of a months-long joint operation involving several local and federal law enforcement agencies.

Noting a surge in heroin use across St. Tammany Parish, local and federal officials have vowed to "aggressively combat'' the problem. Authorities announced at a press conference Monday (April 14) that their efforts so far have removed several ounces of heroin from the streets and resulted in 35 arrests.

"It is a drug that does not discriminate based on race, or socioeconomic status or social status," he said. "It is a destroyer of lives."

What's behind the resurgence?

Authorities said prescription pills have become harder to get and more expensive, which could be partly to blame for a heroin resurgence. Heroin appears to be readily available and more affordable.

Most heroin users start by using prescription drugs, Brown said, noting he's never met a heroin addict who did not first have an addiction to prescription pills.

"Heroin and other opiates are remarkably similar in chemistry," he said.

The reverse - pain pill addicts getting their start on heroin - is not necessarily as true, Brown said.

Among concerns with heroin use, authorities said, is that purity levels tend to vary greatly.

Brown said heroin producers make the drug, and then it gets handed off to a distributor. The distributor might cut his heroin with something else to stretch that kilo into 1Â½ kilos, Brown said.

Someone may be used to an 18-percent purity, he said, but suddenly get heroin that's 40-percent pure.

By contrast, a 30-mg pill of oxycodone will always contain 30 mg of oxycodone, Brown said.

Another reason for the recent surge in heroin use could be that the stereotype of a junkie shooting up with a needle - and the stigma attached to that - no longer exists, Brown said.

Nine or 10 years ago, Brown said heroin purity level percentages were in the single digits, and the only way to get high was to inject it. Now, purity level percentages are in the 20-percent range or higher. Brown said people can get high from heroin by smoking or snorting it.

Heroin-related overdose deaths, crime on the rise

Smith said that in Slidell alone in 2013, seven heroin-related deaths were reported. So far in 2014, Smith said there have been four heroin-related overdose deaths.

Mandeville Police Chief Rick Richard said three people have died so far this year of heroin-related overdose deaths in the city of Mandeville.

Police are seeing a "drastic increase" in property crimes, he said, which they attribute to an increase in heroin use.

Addicts are trying to support a "minimum $100 a day habit," he said.

Authorities said Monday they have been able to identify that most of the area's heroin dealers are on the south shore. However, Brown noted that the area where heroin dealers are concentrated is expanding.

Smith said the task force's heroin operation started on the south shore but ultimately ended on the north shore.

Finding out where those south shore dealers are getting their heroin is something authorities are working to figure out, Brown said.

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain said by working together, law enforcement agencies hopefully can stay ahead of what's becoming more widespread heroin use.

"We don't want to wait until...more young people die before we respond," he said. "Just like prescription drugs, I can promise in St. Tammany Parish we will take care of this."